Thursday's letters: Enough nonsense

Published: Thursday, March 7, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at 7:02 p.m.

To the editor: It has become tiring to watch the leadership of Hendersonville City Council bounce from one loopy idea to another over recent years. It was bad enough when it had a penchant for hiring consultants any time a controversial question arose.

Now it has become a cause for concern as the leadership embroils the council and staff in such inane topics as how to correct the mess they made of the southern entrance to downtown, how to slow traffic on Fifth Avenue, the now ongoing question of the northern entrance to downtown, and the placing of an armed guard at Hendersonville Middle School for $55,000. (Guess whose child attends the middle school.)

What’s wrong with well-done landscaping and a handsome sign for the north entrance, two stop signs on Fifth Avenue, signs to indicate where parking lots are located, and a decision to let the county pay for a guard at Hendersonville High, just like it does at the other county high schools?

These are simple solutions to problems that shouldn’t even make the Times-News. Stop the nonsense and the spending, and work on reducing taxes. The time has come for a return to no-nonsense government.

Doug Jarvis

Hendersonville

Responsibility

To the editor: As I read Cal Thomas’ recent column criticizing the Republican governor of Florida for accepting the new Medicaid plan as part of “Obamacare,” I couldn’t help but chuckle at his contention that the state does not exist to help the poor and needy — that is the responsibility of charities and the church. That sounds fine, but reality is far different.

As Thomas lauds the governor of Texas for refusing the new Medicaid for its poorer citizens, there is a large church in Dallas that is just completing a new facility at a cost of around $130 million. Call me crazy, but somehow I would think a church with that kind of money might reach out to the poor rather than spend it on its own congregation, few of whom probably fall into the “economically poor” category.

The reason why the federal and state governments have become so involved in serving the poor in America is because the church has failed to do so. Once again, as Christians, we have, as Pogo said, “met the enemy and he is us.”

Bob Johnson

Hendersonville

The middle class

To the editor: Most Americans think of themselves as middle class. Economists say households earning $37,500-$125,000 are middle class, about three-quarters of us. The remaining 25 percent are about equally divided between rich and poor.

That we can balance the federal budget by either taxing them more or cutting their “entitlements” and not touch the 75 percent is quite improbable. Either Social Security, Medicare, mortgage deductions, non-taxed health care benefits, farm subsidies and myriad other “entitlements” for the middle class have to be reduced or its taxes have to be raised — that’s where the money is. As Pogo said: “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

Either we — the middle class — pay for our welfare state or we cut it if we don’t want to pay for it. One thing we must not do: continue to borrow and expect our children and grandchildren to pick up the tab. Ask Republicans which of your “entitlements” they want to cut and Democrats which of your taxes they want to raise or — heaven forbid — how they want to compromise, but get ready to tighten your belt.

E. Peter Benzing

Flat Rock

A black eye

To the editor: The function of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is to create and maintain laws and regulations regarding our wild creatures. In addition to issuing hunting and fishing licenses, presumably they have the well-being of these creatures in mind also.

Or perhaps not. Reading the roll call votes in the Times-News, we find SB66: “Captivity License and Permit Amendments.” This bill, introduced by Rep. Roger West, R-Cherokee, which passed 41-2, including a yes vote by our own Sen. Tom Apodaca, would, by way of the NCWRC, bypass federal law and allow temporary permits to reopen animal exhibitions that have lost or been denied these permits.

It seems highly likely that this is a special interest, backroom deal designed to reopen the Cherokee bear pits recently shut down by the USDA after years of work by animal advocates. Anyone who is familiar with this lowbrow, utterly inhumane operation should have no trouble understanding why they were shut down, and how this type of exhibition gives our beautiful state a black eye.

<p>To the editor: It has become tiring to watch the leadership of Hendersonville City Council bounce from one loopy idea to another over recent years. It was bad enough when it had a penchant for hiring consultants any time a controversial question arose.</p><p>Now it has become a cause for concern as the leadership embroils the council and staff in such inane topics as how to correct the mess they made of the southern entrance to downtown, how to slow traffic on Fifth Avenue, the now ongoing question of the northern entrance to downtown, and the placing of an armed guard at Hendersonville Middle School for $55,000. (Guess whose child attends the middle school.)</p><p>What’s wrong with well-done landscaping and a handsome sign for the north entrance, two stop signs on Fifth Avenue, signs to indicate where parking lots are located, and a decision to let the county pay for a guard at Hendersonville High, just like it does at the other county high schools?</p><p>These are simple solutions to problems that shouldn’t even make the Times-News. Stop the nonsense and the spending, and work on reducing taxes. The time has come for a return to no-nonsense government.</p><p><em>Doug Jarvis</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p><h3>Responsibility</h3>
<p>To the editor: As I read Cal Thomas’ recent column criticizing the Republican governor of Florida for accepting the new Medicaid plan as part of Obamacare, I couldn’t help but chuckle at his contention that the state does not exist to help the poor and needy  that is the responsibility of charities and the church. That sounds fine, but reality is far different.</p><p>As Thomas lauds the governor of Texas for refusing the new Medicaid for its poorer citizens, there is a large church in Dallas that is just completing a new facility at a cost of around $130 million. Call me crazy, but somehow I would think a church with that kind of money might reach out to the poor rather than spend it on its own congregation, few of whom probably fall into the economically poor category.</p><p>The reason why the federal and state governments have become so involved in serving the poor in America is because the church has failed to do so. Once again, as Christians, we have, as Pogo said, met the enemy and he is us.</p><p><em>Bob Johnson</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p><h3>The middle class</h3>
<p>To the editor: Most Americans think of themselves as middle class. Economists say households earning $37,500-$125,000 are middle class, about three-quarters of us. The remaining 25 percent are about equally divided between rich and poor.</p><p>That we can balance the federal budget by either taxing them more or cutting their entitlements and not touch the 75 percent is quite improbable. Either Social Security, Medicare, mortgage deductions, non-taxed health care benefits, farm subsidies and myriad other entitlements for the middle class have to be reduced or its taxes have to be raised  that’s where the money is. As Pogo said: We have met the enemy and he is us.</p><p>Either we  the middle class  pay for our welfare state or we cut it if we don’t want to pay for it. One thing we must not do: continue to borrow and expect our children and grandchildren to pick up the tab. Ask Republicans which of your entitlements they want to cut and Democrats which of your taxes they want to raise or  heaven forbid  how they want to compromise, but get ready to tighten your belt.</p><p><em>E. Peter Benzing</em></p><p><em>Flat Rock</em></p><h3>A black eye</h3>
<p>To the editor: The function of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is to create and maintain laws and regulations regarding our wild creatures. In addition to issuing hunting and fishing licenses, presumably they have the well-being of these creatures in mind also.</p><p>Or perhaps not. Reading the roll call votes in the Times-News, we find SB66: Captivity License and Permit Amendments. This bill, introduced by Rep. Roger West, R-Cherokee, which passed 41-2, including a yes vote by our own Sen. Tom Apodaca, would, by way of the NCWRC, bypass federal law and allow temporary permits to reopen animal exhibitions that have lost or been denied these permits.</p><p>It seems highly likely that this is a special interest, backroom deal designed to reopen the Cherokee bear pits recently shut down by the USDA after years of work by animal advocates. Anyone who is familiar with this lowbrow, utterly inhumane operation should have no trouble understanding why they were shut down, and how this type of exhibition gives our beautiful state a black eye.</p><p><em>Candace Oakes</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p>